Sparking top



L. MARX SPARKING TOP ma H92@ Filed Nov. 1, 1922 atented ug. 1, ld..

LOUISMRX, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y..

SPARKING T01?.

Application led November T o all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis MARX, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements ifi Sparking ITops, of which the following in a specification.

This invention relates to a toy, and more particularly to a childs top; and has special reference vto the provision of a top-con structed for producing an emission of sparks when set into spinning action.

Amongthe principal objects of my invention are the provision of a top operable for producing a scintillating discharge or emission of sparks when spun; the further provision of a sparking top in which relatively movable members are brought intor frictional or rubbing engagement upon spinning of the topl to e'ect the spark emission; the further provision of a top of this nature in which the parts are so constructionally arranged and functionally interrelated as to minimize any retarding eect on the motion of the top due to the frictional engagement between the parts to produce and permit a speedy spinning for an extended period of time so that a copious tu and lengthy spark discharge will take place; the further provision of a top in which a mounting is provided for the top body for rotatably supporting the topV for spinning action therein; and the'provision of a stabilized top of this vnature in which a spinning bodiy is provided with its own spinning suppor To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such. other objects las may hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the elements and their relation one to the other, as hereinafter particularly described and sought to be dened in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which :V v

.Fig 1 is a perspective view of my Spark fig. 2' is a vertical elevational view thereof in cross-section, and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof taken in cross-section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Referring now more'in detail to the drawings, ll show as the preferred embodiment th of my inventtion a top body generally desigll, 1922. Serial No. 598,280.

natcd as 10 comprising a body portion com# posed of upper and lower sections 11 and 12 stamped out of sheet material and joined together at the adjacent peripheral edges, as by bending the annular flange portion 13 of the section 11 into overlapping engagement with the marginal edge of the sec-tion 12, the lower body section 12 being provided with the spinning point which may comprise a peg 14, and the upper body section being provided with an upstanding post 15 attached to the roof of the top section 11 as at 16, the said post being bracedin position by being received by and attached to an inverted cup-shaped member 17 which is secured to the roof of the top section 11 as at 18.

For spinning the top there is provided a spring winding key removably receivable by the post 15, the said winding key comprising a body 19 having a cylindrical casing section 20 and the oppositely extending wing sections 21 and 22, the said casing section 2O housing a torsion spring 23 the upper end-24 of which is fixed to the body 19 of the winding key, and the lower end 25 of which freely projects from the bottom of the cylindrical casing section 20 for engagement with any of a plurality of orifices 26 provided in the top of the inverted cup-shaped member 17. The *winding key body 19 is further provided with another cylindrical casing 27 of relatively small cross-sectional area, in which casing 1s mounted for vertical slidable motion a plunger detent 28 provided at its top with a horizontal arm 29 on which is active a leaf spring 30\ for normally urging the plunger to descended position, the saidarm 29 being confinedin the wing22 for limiting the downward motion of the said detent, athe said detent being provided for cooperation ywith a plurality of recesses 31 arranged circumferentially in the top of the cupshaped member 17 the cooperation being such that when the winding key is rotated with the end 25 of the spring thereof held by the member 17 the detent 28 rides over the top of the member 17 and engages 1n anyone of the recesses 31 to hold the winding` key in any position relatively to the .top body with energy stored in the Spring. With this construction it will be furthermore 'apparent that when the windin key 1s grasped and forcibly removed from t e post with its own y,top may be stably placed in any location 15 as by pressing the post wit-h the thumb of the operators hand, the energy stored in thespring will be imparted to the top body for effecting the rotation or spinning thereof.

, For producing a discharge or emission of sparks, my invention comprehends the provision of means for producing a frictional or rubbin engagement between a spinning surface o the top body and a relatively stationarily mounted spark producing sub- Stance, and in the preferred embodiment of .my invention I provide a mounting or holder for the top body constructed so as to support the top body for eiiicient spinning action therein, with the means for producl ing the emission or discharge of sparks being carried by the mounting and the top body. To these ends, I provide a mounting or holder which preferably comprises a base 32 provided with a central recess 33 v for receiving the point or peg 14 ofthel top body, an annular member 34 surrounding or encircling the top body and more particularly the cup 17 thereof, andthe lateral or side/straps 35 and 36 attached to the base 32 and the annular member 34 for holding the same in spaced relation as clearly shown in the drawings. As shown, the side straps 35 and 36 and the annular member 34 conform to the shape of the top body 1() and the member 17 thereof, and are spaced therefrom with a clearance suiiicient to permit a free spinning of the top without frictional engagement between these parts, while providing a construction in which the top body is normally supported in erect position in the mounting. By the provision of this construction, it will be furthermore seen that the mounting comprises a stabilizing holder for-the` top, and that the top is provided spinning support so that the for spinning purposes, and may be spun on any surface without marring or injuring the same. v

In the preferred construction, the spark producing'` mechanism comprises relatively movable means brought into frictional engagement during spinning action of the top, and to this end the upper section 11-of the top body isprovided with a surface zone of abrasive material 37, which`may for example be carborundum, suitably spread over the top section 11 and caused to adhere thereto by means of some suitable adhesive, and the stationary mounting is providedV withone or more pivoted members 38 each comprislng a holder for a spark producing substance 39 such as flint or a pyrophoric holders 38 are. mounted for free pivotal movement on the annular member 34 ofthe mounting and gravitationally rblased so as to cause a normal `engagement between ,the spark producing material 39 `rotatable spinning top body,

Aholder therefor and the abrasive surface 37, the arrangement being such that very little resistance is offered by the interengagement of these parts to the spinning of the top, the frictional resistance between the abrasive surface of the top and the spark producing material being small, assuring a lengthy spinning of the top and a copious emission of s arks. The spark producing elements are urthermore so arranged as to yield an attractive and highly pleasing scintillating effect, the spark discharge being produced where it is fully. visible and in a region where the rapid relative `movement of the parts will effect .an efficient spark emission.

The use and operation of my sparking top will in the main be fully apparent from the above detailed description thereof. It will be further apparent that by the provision of the combined top and mounting therefor the top is normally supported in an erect position and may be stably spun on any suitable surface without marring or injuring the'latter. When set into spinning action, a discharge of sparks will take place at spaced points, the spark emission being produced tangentially and in opposite directions, producing a scintillating and high- 1y amusing display.

While I have shown my device in the preferred form, it will be obvious that many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.'

I claim:

1. A sparking spinning top comprising a a stationary mounting therefor, a winding means for setting the top into spinning action and means carried by the top body and its mounting for producing an emission of sparks when the top is spun.

2. A sparking top comprising a rotatable top body, a stationary mounting therefor, the said top body being provided with a zone surfaced with an abrasive material, and a spark producing substance carried by said mounting and arranged for frictional engagement with said abrasive surface for producing an emission of sparks when the top is spun.

' 3. A sparking top comprising a rotatable top body, a spring winding key associated therewith, a stationary mounting therefor, and means carried by the top body'and its mounting for producing an emission of 'sparks when the top is spun.

4. A sparking spinning top comprising a rotatable spinning top body, a mounting or constructed for normally supporting the body substantially in erect position, the top body being provided with an abrasive surface, and means carried by the mounting arranged for frictionallv enrecaer? l er gaging the abrasive surface for producing an emission of sparks when the top is spun.

5. A sparking top comprising a rotatable top body, a stationary mounting therefor including a base having a recess for receiving `the point of the top body, an annular member encircling the top body, side straps attached to said member and base for holding the same in spaced relation, these mounting parts being constructed 'for normally supporting the top substantially in erect position, and means carried by the top body and said mounting for producing an emission of sparks when the top is spun.

6. A sparking top comprising a rotatable top body, a stationary mounting therefor including a weighted base having a recess for receiving the point of the top body, an annular member encircling the top body, side straps attached to said member and base for holding the same in spaced relation, the said top body being surfaced with an abrasive material in a zone at the top thereof and a plurality of members holding a spark producing material pivotally carried by said mounting, said members being gravitationally biased for frictional engagement with said abrasive surface for producing an emission of sparks when the top is spun.

7. A-sparking top comprising a rota-table top body, a stationary mounting therefor including a base and side straps attached `to said base, the said top body being provided with an abrasive surface in a zone at the top thereof, and a plurality of members holding a spark producing material carried by said side straps, said members being arranged for frictional engagement with said abrasive surface for producing an emission oi sparks when the top is spun.

8. A aparking top comprising a rotatable top body, a stationary mounting therefor includin a base having a recess for receiving the point of the top body, an annular member encircling the top body, and side straps attached to said member and base for holding the same in spaced relation and means carried by the top body and the mounting :for producing an emission of sparks when the top is spun.

9. A sparking top comprising a rotatable topy body, a stationary mounting therefor including a weighted base having a recess for receiving the point of the top body, an annular member encircling the top body, side straps attached to said member and base for holding the same in spaced relation, the said 'straps and annular member being spaced :from the top body with a small clearance therebetween, whereby the top body is normally supportedin erect position and is adapted to freely rotate in the mounting when set 'into spinning action.

10. A sparking spinning top comprising a rotatable hollow sheet metal top body provided with a vertically extending post for receiving a windin mechanism, a stationary mounting for t e top body, and means carried by the top body and its mounting for producing an emission or' sparks when the top is spun.

11. As a new article of manufacture, a sparking to comprising a rotatable top body, a win ing means for setting the same into spinning action, the said body being provided with a zone surfaced with an abrasive material for producing when the top is spun an emission of sparks upon frictional engagement with the abrasive surface of a spark producing substance.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 30th day of October, A. D. 1922.

LOUlS MARX. 

